Good news, folks. First embargo from the NHL 11 Community Event has officially lifted, and there are now a couple of new aspects of NHL 11 we can discuss with the rest of the community. Those features are the new real time hitting physics, new faceoff system, broken sticks, and some of the new dekes available.
Real Time Physics
You guys saw a tiny clip of this in that recently released video, and that was really only a taste of what this year's hitting engine offers. It's definitely the best that I've ever seen in a hockey game, and even though big hits were tuned up in the version I got to play last May, I still didn't see anything alarming like in NHL 07 or NHL 09 where there were way too many big hits. When someone landed a big hit, it looked and felt very real and very satisfying. One of the aspects of this area that I'm most excited about is how glances have been implemented. In years past, players could bump into each other and nothing would happen, it would be like two solid blocks colliding and the game didn't recognize this as a collision; well, that has been changed this year as slight nudges and glances will actually impact your control of the puck and player movement. I had a guy glance off a defender in the offensize zone at one point during my playtest only to then be absolutely crushed by someone else who finished a big hit. It was really a thing of beauty, and I found myself watching it on the replay again and again. Safe to say that over 8 hours of play time, I didn't see the same hit twice.
One thing I have to caution people though is don't expect NHL 11 to be a hockey version of Backbreaker. The game is using a new real time physics engine for hitting, stick on stick / stick on puck collisions, but things like skating, goal celebrations, goaltending are improved but still similar to what they have been in year's past. This is understandable because it would be very hard to turn NHL 10 into Backbreaker in the short year long development cycle, however as Littman mentioned in an interview (and he told us too), it's a 3 year plan to get the game entirely physics based just like Backbreaker, and from what I've seen so far, NHL 11 is a very darn good start.
Faceoffs
Faceoffs were at the top of just about everyone's wishlists this summer, and the team at EAC has really listened. It's so funny when I play NHL 10 now because NHL 11 is such an upgrade at the draw that it's hard to go back to what we've had the last few years. Just looking back at some of my notes, these are the different things you can do off the draw:
-Choose whether you want to take draw on forehand or backhand
-Win it cleanly in any direction
-Use your body to muscle the opposing center and win it
-Muscle out opposing center and allow winger or defensemen to get the puck
-Shoot the puck (think Jeff Carter)
-Toe drag deke around the opposing center (Littman was the only one who could do this)
And a lot more. It is definitely a huge upgrade over what we had in NHL 07-NHL 10, and while I didn't quite get the hang of it by the end of the Community Event, I'm sure you guys will have it mastered after a few games.
Broken Sticks
Broken sticks are awesome. They add such a great, unpredictable element to the game. I know some of you guys are worried that it will get frustrating or annoying, and yeah, I'll admit that might be the case but you just have to go with it. Sticks break in the NHL at a rate higher than what we'll see in NHL 11, so this is just a new gameplay feature you're going to have to learn to play with. Your stick can break for a variety of reasons, either on a stick lift or when you pull back for a wrist shot or big slapshot. They can also break at I believe two different points (the blade was the most common, but also the shaft) and there might be a third location, but I can't remember for sure. Things get even better when your stick does break though, as you are then free to roam the ice either without a stick or you can skate to the bench to get a new one. A player can even offer you his stick if he is so inclined. You can also kick the puck at any point on the ice, and if you are in the defensive zone, push the puck with your hand to a teammate or out of the zone. I know some guys were worried about this but it is an animation that can only be triggered in the defensive zone.
Broken sticks are live on the ice. I actually had one stick break near the crease at one point during play, then a bit later, a shot deflected off the stick and winded up going in the net. It was pretty awesome seeing that kind of unscripted play take place, as it's certainly something I've never seen in a hockey game before. I really have nothing bad to say about this new feature other than it might frustrate people at times, but after seeing it in action, I'd much rather have it in the game than out.
New Dekes
Here's a fun topic. You guys have heard about some of the new dekes already, but there really are some cool ones this year. Definitely the biggest improvement since LB dekes were implemented in NHL 08 I believe. As you saw in the Duchene screenshot, it is now possibly to deke up and over a downed defender. What's cool is the real time physics makes it so that if you don't clear the defender, your guy will go sprawling to the ice instead. There is also a wicked new toe drag (a move I spent perfecting on breakaways - toe drag to backhander, looks awesome) and a bunch of other new dekes for getting around defenders and goalies. I didn't take as many notes as I would have liked on what new dekes are possible, but maybe Nick or one of the other Community Event invitees spent more time on this area, and I urge you to read their impressions on this feature as well.
http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/744956.page_________________
FIGHTER OF THE NIGHTMAN
"on the ice now for buffalo, looking for the pass, and gets it, afinogenov, couldnt get the shot away, now HE DOES, HE SCORES!!!! HOLY MACKEREL ROLE THE HIGH LIGHT FILM, MAXIM AFINOGENOV, WHAT A MOVE!!!!.... thats not fair... that was unbelievable"
-R.J. and Lorenz
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, and in the QMJHL...I dunno. We'll have to see if anyone gets drafted out of the Q (I doubt it - Darcy has had most of his good picks come out of the OHL and WHL lately).
